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d3m is a modular organ masterkeyboard system and is intended as a control unit for organ emulations like Native Instruments B4 or Emagic evb3. The system has two modules available: the keyboard unit d3m and the control unit d3c. A bass pedal d3b is in preparation as the third module of the system. Each of the modules can be used alone or in combination with the other modules. The maximum system consists of two keyboards d3m and one control unit d3c (and one bass pedal d3b as soon as it is available).
The first part of the modular concept is the keyboard module d3m. d3m contains a 5 octave manual with feeling and looking modelled on the classic examples (so-called waterfall keyboard with ivory keys). In addition it has 22 buttons for program change available. Each button is equipped with a blue LED. Following previous organ designs the buttons are organized as 10 preset bank buttons and 12 preset number buttons. The 12 number buttons correspond to the different colored lowest octave that was available in previous organs. Additionally a foot controller and a foot switch can be connected. Both are programmable (e.g. volume for the foot controller and sustain or rotary speaker on/off for the foot switch). The keyboard is equipped with Midi In and Midi Out and offers Midi velocity. Two (or even more) of these manuals can be daisy-chained via midi out/in as upper/lower manual. The keyboards are distinguished by different midi channels. The connection from the optional bass pedal d3b and to the control unit d3c is established via Midi too. For the power supply an external AC adapter is used (an adapter for 230V AC and European type of mains connector is included for all shipments within Europe, for other countries please contact the representative in your country). Two DC sockets are available at the rear panel of each d3m for daisy-chaining the power supply for several d3m/d3c. In this case only one AC adapter is required for all devices. The corresponding short DC cable is included with the d3m (~ 30cm).
Several keyboard modules can be mounted together. For this threads are available at the rear and bottom side of the case. By means of corner braces the keyboard can be mounted together in two ways: with hidden or accessible button section of the lower keyboard (see pictures below). These threads are even used to mount the optional control unit d3c.
The case is made of silvergrey coated aluminium (not a cheap plastic case).. The measures are about L87xT25xH9 cm and the weight is about 6.5 kg.
Provided that there are sufficient inquiries we also think about some mechanical extensions: e.g. a support to put a laptop on the keyboard, a music stand, additional feet for the rear keyboard to avoid tip over and wooden side plates for one or two d3m and for two d3m and one d3c. If these options will be available depends upon the inquiries. The pictures below show some of these accessory parts.
In the first place d3m was developed as a control keyboard for organ emulations like B4 or evb3. But it may be used as a "normal" Midi keyboard as well e.g. to control an organ expander. However the program change selection is - due to the historical examples - a bit unusual for this application as it is based on the bank/number structure (i.e. 10 banks with 12 numbers each). For that purpose the user's manual contains table that shows the conversion of bank and number into the corresponding Midi program change number.
Part two of the modular concept is the control unit d3c. This unit contains all elements required to control an typical organ emulation. These controls are available: 9 drawbars for upper manual, 9 drawbars for lower manual, 2 drawbars for bass pedal, 6 rotary controls for the parameters of tube and percussion and a lot of additional buttons for vibrato, chorus, key click, rotary speakers and so on. Even the 10 + 12 program selection buttons of the keyboard unit d3m will be available. This is necessary if the (one or two) d3m are mounted with hidden button sections.
The connection between all modules (d3m, d3c, d3b) is established via Midi. The control unit d3c is equipped with both Midi and USB interface. This allows to connect the d3 combination to both worlds Midi and USB (e.g. a laptop that runs B4 or evb3).
The control unit d3c can be used as a stand-alone device or in combination with one or two of the d3m keyboards described above (and the bass pedal d3b as soon as it is available). In the last case the buttons of the keyboard(s) are (alternatively) covered by the control unit as all control functions (including program change) are now taken over by the control unit. The control unit can can be combined with one or two keyboards by means of the corner braces mentioned above. The below picture shows some examples of d3m/d3c combinations.